hate so say it.......but, we can sign petitions.....protest any way we want.....BUT...it is the people of SXM, the residents, and the government that will make all the decisions. We, for the most part, are just ''visitors'' of THEIR homeland, and it has been obvious for years, that they really don't care a hell of a lot of what we ''tourists'' feel. I am sure there are quite a few ''hidden deals'' going on....but is anyone really surprised?? Over the years, we have all complained about numerous construction and congestion on the island....we have all seen our quaint island become more and more a concrete jungle and our beaches becomre more crowded...we have seen the local shops and some restaurants be ''mcdonaldized", we saw what happened to Orient Beach last year, and with all the complaining, the project went forward, and now finished. We have seen PBurg go from a smaller stop, with just a few ships, to one of the busiest ports for cruise ships in the Caribbean. We all long for the ''old days''.....but while we wanted it to stay the same as it was, the people and government of SXM had other plans. I, for one, will continue to visit my ''second home'' for as long as i can....and hope all the fear will eventually, maybe, make it better?? We can only hope. Sorry for the rant...but my two cents.